Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Fairfax voters overwhelmingly support ped/bike project funding
According to the unofficial results from Fairfax County, the 2014 Transportation Bond was approved 214,344 to 83,999. The $100 million bond includes $77.5 million in pedestrian projects, $6.5 million in bike projects, and $16 million in spot road projects. The vote shows that Fairfax residents want safe walk and bike routes and they are willing to pay for them.The bike projects include:
- Wakefield Chapel Rd Walkway/Bike Lanes
- Lake Braddock Drive Road Diet
- Burke VRE Connector Ph. IV
- Cross County Trail Upgrades
- Burke Road Bike Lanes
- West Ox Road Trail
- Route 50 Trail
- Elm St/Dolley Madison Blvd Improved Pedestrian and Bicycle Crossing
- Franconia-Springfield Metrorail Station/VRE Enhanced Bicycle Parking
- Government Center Area Bicycle Demonstration Project
- Northern Virginia Community College Medical Education Campus, Springfield
- Vienna Metrorail Station Area Bicycle Connectivity Improvements
- Westmoreland Street On-Road Bike Lanes
- Westmoreland Street/Rosemont Drive
Thank you Fairfax voters!
Monday, November 3, 2014
Vote YES tomorrow on 2014 Transportation Bond
Please vote YES tomorrow for the 2014 Transportation Bond. The bond is supported by the League of Women Voters, the Partnership for a Healthier Fairfax, and many other organizations. A significant portion of the bond will go towards building pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. Most of those projects are missing sidewalk links that should have been built years ago.The majority of the county's $1.4 billion in transportation projects are major road and transit projects. The $85 million in ped/bike projects in the bond is a only 6% percent of that total. The major road and transit projects will be funded primarily using new state funds (from HB 2313). Since the county has decided ped/bike projects do not qualify for those funds, the Transportation Bond will be used to fund them.
Labels: 2014 transportation bond
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Vote YES on 2014 Transportation Bond - Update (2)
We are encouraging everyone to vote YES for the 2014 Transportation Bond on November 4. $6 million in bicycle projects, $78 million in pedestrian projects, and $16 million in spot road improvements will be funded by the bond. See a detailed list of projects. These projects will help make biking and walking conditions safer for everyone.Fairfax County produced the following informational video on the bond:
Labels: 2014 transportation bond
Friday, September 5, 2014
September-October 2014 FABB News
A bi-monthly publication of Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling
Bicycle Master Plan
Countywide Bicycle Master Plan will soon be considered by the Board of Supervisors. The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on October 1 and the Board of Supervisors will hold a public hearing on October 28. To learn more about the plan, the second of three countywide public meetings is scheduled for September 15 at Mt. Vernon Government Center, 2511 Parkers Ln, Alexandria, VA 22306.
Visit the county bike plan webpage for links to the "Fairfax County Bicycle Master Plan - Final Draft" and the four "Maps of Recommended Bicycle Network." We encourage all Fairfax cyclists to consider attending the October 1 and 28 public hearings. See the FABB blog for details as we get closer to those dates.
2014 Transportation Bond Will Fund Pedestrian and Bicycle Projects
After a series of public meetings over the past year, Fairfax County identified a long list of high priority transportation projects. Funding for road and transit projects will come from money allocated by the Commonwealth of Virginia. After deciding that most pedestrian and bicycle projects were not eligible for those state funds, the county plans to fund those projects using the 2014 Transportation Bond. While most are pedestrian projects such as new sidewalks, several important bike projects are included.
We strongly support the Bond and encourage all county residents to vote YES on November 4 to improve pedestrian and bicycle access. See the list of all projects that will be implemented if the Bond passes.
Northern Virginia Cycle Fest Sunday, September 14
Northern Virginia Cycle Fest is a series of mostly on-road rides in Fairfax and Arlington Counties. The event will be held on Sunday, September 14. Four ride options, departing at 7:30 a.m., range from 11 to 62 miles. All rides originate and return to the Jewish Community Center of Northern Virginia, 8900 Little River Turnpike. The rides are designed to be fun and challenging for riders of all levels and experience - with a suggested minimum age of 12. FABB will have an information table at the event.
Riders should be comfortable riding on roads with traffic. All ride options have rest stops, SAG vehicles, mechanical support, merchant sponsorship and light refreshments. The 2014 ride benefits Wounded Warriors Project and Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA). For more information, visit the Northern Virginia Cycle Fest website. Fee: $50/$45 JCCNV members/$20 active military and first responders.
Bike Lanes Striped on Sherwood Hall Lane in Mt. Vernon District
VDOT is completing bike lanes on Sherwood Hall Lane as part of a repaving/pavement marking project to improve safety. Bike lanes were added in both directions from Fordson Road to Fort Hunt Road, about 1.5 miles. As the street is not wide enough for bike lanes in the one-block, 450-foot segment from Holland Road to Parkers Lane, shared-lane markings, known as "sharrows," were installed to let cyclists and motorists know that bikes will share the travel lane with motorists.
Thanks to Supervisor Hyland and Delegate Surovell for supporting the project and to Fairfax County and VDOT staff for their work on the project. The newly configured road will benefit all users by making it safer and providing a dedicated bike facility.
Back to School in Fairfax
Fairfax County Schools resumed classes on Tuesday, September 2. Drivers who have been commuting past empty schools all summer will face a plethora of walkers/bikers/buses and additional cars on their normal commute. The best advice to drivers is to simply slow down and enjoy watching all the kids make their way to school for another year of learning. Students and parents also need to be reminded to be safe. If walking, cross at intersections and look both ways before crossing. If riding, wear a helmet, ride with traffic and signal your intentions. Some advice from our Police Department: Back to School Safety Reminders.
We hope this year in FCPS will show a marked increase in schools participating in Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Programs. Some dates to remember: September 15-19 is VDOT's Student Tally Week, October 8 is International Walk to School Day and October 28 is the Greater Washington DC SRTS Regional meeting. The National SRTS Partnership is also looking for feedback about the types of services and support you need in your work to advance Safe Routes to School. Please take the SRTS Survey. Lastly, here is a good article from our UK brethren: Pedal Power: Why Cycling to School is Good for Learning and the Planet. And here is a nice school-related graphic from our friends in Arlington.
Bicyclists Flocking to Wiehle-Reston East Station
FABB has been doing midday counts of bikes parked at the Wiehle-Reston East Metro station since the station opened. There are 10 U racks at the south station entrance, with a capacity of 20 bikes. On the north side there are 16 U racks outside the bike room that hold 32 bikes. There is no charge to park at those racks located under cover. The secure bike room can hold over 200 bikes.
Below is a chart of counts from July 31 to August 28. Over time the number of bikes has gradually increased from a low of 61 on the second count to a high on August 28 of 107. If you compare the high number with the 2013 Metrorail bike parking census conducted by WMATA, the Wiehle station would rank 3rd in the category "Top Stations for Total Bikes Parked".
The free racks outside the bike room were over capacity (bikes locked to the fencing) 6 of the 10 days. An average of 13 bikes (of 20 capacity) were parked at the south racks, so there was usually a place to park. The bike room was at about 1/4 capacity with plenty of room for more bikes for those who pay the $60 annual fee (approximately 25 cents/day for daily commuters).
Upcoming Events
- September 14, Sunday, Northern Virginia Cycle Fest
- September 15, Monday, Bicycle Master Plan South County meeting
- September 15-19, VDOT's Student Tally Week
- September 22, Monday, Car Free Day
- October 1, Wednesday, Planning Commission public hearing on Bicycle Master Plan
- October 8, Wednesday, International Walk to School Day
- October 28, Tuesday, Greater Washington DC SRTS Regional meeting
- October 28, Tuesday, Board of Supervisors public hearing on Bicycle Master Plan
Labels: 2014 transportation bond, fabb newsletter, northern virginia cycle fest, sherwood hall lane, wiehle station bike room
Thursday, June 19, 2014
Supervisor Herrity continues his War on Bikes
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| Supervisor Herrity at BTWD 2008. On his trip he had a flat tire, probably from an unmaintained bike trail. |
Supervisor Herrity thinks Fairfax County is spending too much money on bike and pedestrian facilities. Funny, I haven't really noticed much impact of all this funding on bikes. Bike lanes that I use on Soapstone Dr. and Lawyers Rd. cost almost nothing because they were created as part of repaving and restriping projects.
Fairfax County is proposing to fund $6 million in bike projects as part of the bond and $77.6 million in pedestrian projects. The county plans to spend $1.4 billion on all transportation projects over the next six years, most of which are being funded by new state monies. The county has decided that bike and ped projects don't qualify for these new funds so they are included in the bond project. The $6 million for bike projects is 0.46% of $1.4 billion.
And yet Supervisor Herrity thinks that's too much. Knowing full well that most of the county funding is going toward expanding roads, building large interchanges, and building parking garages at Metro stations he states the following: "The scope and extent of the $85 million in bike and pedestrian projects included in this referendum far exceed both the current and projected mode share, especially given that we've got so many unfunded projects that would relieve significant congestion."
For the second time in the past month he goes on to mischaracterize the amount of space devoted to bikes and peds on the proposed Soapstone Connector bridge in Reston: "You take the proposed Soapstone Connector: 35 feet of that, or 60 percent of it is now proposed for bike and pedestrian yet it shows as a highway expansion," The proposed Soapstone Connector bridge, located near the new Wiehle-Reston East Metrorail station, is 99.5 feet wide. Significant bike and ped traffic is expected in the near future. There are four 12-foot lanes for motor vehicles. Bike lanes comprise 10 feet or 10% of the total width. The 10 foot trail comprises 10%. The 5 foot sidewalk is 5 %. The total devoted to bikes and peds is 10 + 10 + 5 or 25%.
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| Soapstone Connector cross section |
Fortunately the majority of the Board disagrees with Herrity and they voted to include the proposed ped and bike projects in the bond. Despite the small amount of funding for bike projects, we strongly support the bond referendum and urge you to support it as well.
You may recall that more than once Supervisor Herrity has tried to eliminate the bike coordinator position and he continues to argue against additional funding for bike facilities. Feel free to contact Supervisor Herrity to let him know what you think.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
Fairfax Board approves bike projects for 2014 Transportation Bond
At their meeting today the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors approved a list of projects to be included on the Transportation Bond referendum to be held this Fall. The Board is asking residents to approve $100 million in projects of which $6.5 million is for bike projects. The county plans to spend approximately $1.4 billion in transportation projects over the next six years. The bike funding is approximately 0.46% of $1.4 billion. See page 131 of the Board Package for the complete list of the bond projectsWe're encouraged that the bike projects are now broken out and not lumped together with the $77.6 million in pedestrian projects. We're disappointed that more bike projects aren't included in the bond given the need. None of the bigger ticket items that are on a larger list of $200 million in bike/ped projects are on the list such as the Mt Vernon Memorial Hwy trail improvements, Old Keene Mill Road bike shoulders, Route 236 Corridor bike improvements, and Scotts Run Stream Valley Trail.
Below is the list of bike projects extracted from the list presented to the Board today. Once this list is posted on the county site we'll provide a link:
| Project | District |
| Wakefield Chapel Rd Walkway/Bike Lanes | Braddock |
| Lake Braddock Drive Road Diet | Braddock |
| Burke VRE Connector Ph. IV | Braddock |
| Cross County Trail Upgrades | Braddock |
| Burke Road Bike Lanes | Springfield |
| West Ox Road Trail | Sully |
| Route 50 Trail | Sully |
| Elm St/Dolley Madison Blvd Improved Pedestrian and Bicycle Crossing | Dranesville |
| Franconia‐Springfield Metrorail Station/VRE Enhanced Bicycle Parking | Lee |
| Government Center Area Bicycle Demonstration Project | Braddock |
| INOVA Center Medical Education Campus | Lee |
| Vienna Metrorail Station Area Bicycle Connectivity Improvements | Providence |
| Westmoreland Street On‐Road Bike Lanes | Dranesville |
| Westmoreland Street/Rosemont Drive | Dranesville |
Labels: 2014 transportation bond
Tuesday, May 27, 2014
Article criticizing Fairfax Co bike funding gets facts wrong - Update
I hesitate to give publicity to such a poorly written article on funding of pedestrian and bike projects in Fairfax County, but such a biased, one-sided article requires a response. Kenric Ward, a writer for Examiner.com and watchdog.org, recently wrote a misinformed and very negative article about Fairfax County's decision to fund most ped/bike projects using a transportation bond this Fall: Fairfax wants millions more to push bikes, pedestrians
According to Ward, "A proposed $100 million transit referendum earmarks $85 million for new bikeways and pedestrian paths. The outlays come on top of more than $200 million in bike-ped projects already approved."
For one, the referendum is for funding "transportation" projects, not "transit" projects. The $85 million is mostly for sidewalk projects that are part of a total of $200 million for sidewalks, trails and a very few on-road bike projects, NOT "on top of more than $200 million in bike-ped projects."
Most of the projects under consideration are sidewalk retrofits in neighborhoods that were built without them. There are very few bike projects being funded. The funding for one interchange on Fairfax County Parkway alone is costing $90 million (the first three road projects listed will cost nearly $350 million). The actual bike funding is a pittance compared to the $1.4 billion total of mostly road and transit projects.
The first quote sets the tone for the rest of the article:
Springfield District Supervisor Herrity has made a habit of criticizing bike projects and calling for the elimination of the bicycle coordinator position. He's the only supervisor quoted in the article.For one, the referendum is for funding "transportation" projects, not "transit" projects. The $85 million is mostly for sidewalk projects that are part of a total of $200 million for sidewalks, trails and a very few on-road bike projects, NOT "on top of more than $200 million in bike-ped projects."
Most of the projects under consideration are sidewalk retrofits in neighborhoods that were built without them. There are very few bike projects being funded. The funding for one interchange on Fairfax County Parkway alone is costing $90 million (the first three road projects listed will cost nearly $350 million). The actual bike funding is a pittance compared to the $1.4 billion total of mostly road and transit projects.
The first quote sets the tone for the rest of the article:
This doesn’t make any more sense than a $1 million bus stop,” Supervisor Pet Herrity said
Ward makes an offhand reference to a bridge over the Toll Rd that is only 59 feet wide with 35 feet devoted to bikes and peds. Does he make this stuff up? That would be a bridge with two 12-foot travel lanes, two 10 foot trails, and bike lanes on each side of the road that are 7.5 feet wide:
One of the more controversial pieces isn’t even in the $85 million package. A $92 million overpass spanning the Dulles Toll Road reserves more than 35 feet of the 59-foot-wide bridge for bicyclists and pedestrians.
As TheWashCycle points out, maybe he's referring to the Soapstone Connector in Reston that will have bike lanes and sidewalks. Even so, the bridge is 99.5' wide. There are four 12-foot travel lanes taking up 48 feet of right of way. Bike lanes and sidewalks make up 25 feet of right of way.In other words, in the first four paragraphs there appear to be at least 3 blatant errors of fact.
Ward spoke to someone from Potomac Pedalers Touring Club and managed to extract two negative quoits about bike lanes and sharrows. I'm quoted in the article but no attempts were made to contact me.
Ward is the same reporter who wrote a very anti-bike article about Arlington's attempts to become more bike-friendly, Arlington peddles bikes at expense of cars, taxpayers.
See our earlier posts about the 2014 transportation bond.
Update: Fairfax Co recently posted a list of projects to be included in the 2014 Transportation Bond.
Labels: 2014 transportation bond, examiner, kenric ward
